


The only exception

by Cheekbonesandcoatcollar



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: M/M, Magic Reveal, accidental reveal, injured merlin, not a songfic!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-03
Updated: 2013-03-03
Packaged: 2017-12-04 05:49:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,518
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/707248
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cheekbonesandcoatcollar/pseuds/Cheekbonesandcoatcollar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“I swore to never even consider the use of magic again for as long as I live Merlin, not since my father. But this is you and you've always been the exception haven’t you?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	The only exception

Arthur hated magic. He despised it, wished it never existed.

Arthur Pendragon wished with all his heart, all his mind and soul that he could eradicate magic entirely, not only from Camelot but from the world.

He would never again touch magic, he would never again try to use it, harbour it, it was, after all, pure evil and brought only pain and suffering to those that tampered with it. Arthur himself had lost both parents to magic, the loss of his father, so little time ago, still a stinging ache in the back of his mind, the loss of his mother a dull ache that had never left him during his twenty five years.

Arthur Pendragon, new king of Camelot had almost been the victim of magic himself countless times. He had lost men, brave knights in the name of magic, Lancelot Du Lac, the bravest of them all, a noble sacrifice, dead by magic. He had lost his friend, Morgana, corrupted by her sight, her own power she had hidden so well. Guinevere, a sweet girl, competent servant, loyal friend, had lost her father to magic, the only thing she had in this world, until the arrival of her brother that is and more recently had lost her love, Lancelot.

Arthur had been betrayed by magic on numerous occasions, by Cedric, a supposedly loyal servant, Vivian a beautiful noble, Merlin’s best friend, Will, kings, princesses, nobles and servants alike, not to mention the gaggle of sorcerers undercover in Camelot. Arthur hated magic, despised it to its very, magical and ancient core. He would never use magic, never again, not even to save himself or those closest to him.

He had not however, anticipated that one day, long after he had made this vow he would be questioning it because of Merlin.

The boy was constantly injured or ill, it was incredible really that the only thing the incompetent servant seemed to be good at was hurting himself in some way. The thing about Merlin though was that he always bounced back, he’d survived poisoning, due in no small part to Arthur’s hard work, he’d survived beatings, kidnappings, bandits, Morgana, beast attacks, he’d survived the touch of a Dorocha dammit! Arthur knew of no one else who had managed such a feat, that’s why after the accident, he had thought Merlin would simply pull through, wake him up the next morning with some ridiculous morning related anecdotes and the days would continue as they always did.

Only it didn’t quite work out that way and it seemed even more ridiculous to Arthur that in his life Merlin had survived such trials and a routine hunting trip had been all it really took to stop the flow of things, to break everything down. To stop the seemingly unstoppable force that was Merlin.

When Arthur thought back on it he could hear himself jeering his servant on, “Come on Merlin, you _wimp_. Hurry up!” he could hear his knights, still solemnly minus one, laughing for the first time in what seemed like ages, he could hear Merlin panting heavily behind him as he raced his horse faster, trying to catch up. But the laughter was what struck him at the time, long awaited happiness from Lancelot’s bereaved friends, not Merlin’s grunt of pain, not the stupid mares uneven stamping on the ground, not the crack of uneven earth, just laughter and then a cry.

_Merlin’s cry_.

Arthur had turned, just in time to see Merlin fall as his horse lost its footing on the uneven terrain, he had possibly cried his servants name, more then likely had as his knights had stopped in their riding and jeering abruptly after the fact. It had been a mad rush, a panic, scrabbling down down down the uneven terrain of the hill, unprotected and unaided as he climbed down the foot holds, guided by a pure unadulterated need to get to Merlin. It had been almost anticlimactic when he’d reached the bottom and Merlin had been sat, head in hands, a small cuts on his hands and knees and a few bruises but otherwise unaffected as far as Arthur could see. Arthur, in his relief, clopped his servant around the head and groaned, “Bloody idiot, you’d think you’d only learned to ride yesterday.” Merlin had grinned and once his horse had been brought under control by Percival, ridden home unaffected with a few choice insults mumbled under his breath.

Only he hadn’t woken Arthur the next morning, he hadn’t arrived in the princes chambers at all.

“Gaius?” Arthur called, striding into the physicians chambers, “Gaius, have you by any chance seen Merlin?”

The old man emerged from said servants room, “Sire.” he said quietly, “Merlin-”

“Is he still in bed Gaius?” Arthur interrupted, meandering through the quarters towards the small room, “How many times must I tell him to get to work on time? He’ll muck the stables for this, all day. Wake up Merlin!” he pushed through the creaking door, ignoring the odd look on Gaius’s face, “Merlin! Come on! Wake-” Arthur paused, “Merlin?”

“He hasn’t awoken sire,” Gaius said from behind, “He complained of a headache when he arrived home, skipped supper and went straight to bed after I tended to his wound. I fear he may have hit his head harder than he let on sire.”

“He hit his head?” Arthur questioned, eyes roaming over the pale face of his friend, eyes closed peacefully, sleeping still as the dead, “He didn’t say.”

“He wouldn’t, that’s not his way.”

“Will he-” Arthur sucked in a deep breath, “..die?”

Gaius swallowed, “I pray he will not.”

“Can you do nothing?” Arthur asked, using all of his willpower not to beg outright, save him Gaius, save him. Please.

“I have done all I can. He is not responding. I've been at it all night. I came to wke him hours ago fearin a concussion but he has not responded.” The old man blinked, swayed slightly.

“Get some rest Gaius, I’ll watch over Merlin. You’re barely awake.”

“Your duties sire-”

“That’s an order Gaius. You’re no help to Merlin if you yourself are ill.” Arthur stated, watching as the old man nodded glanced at Merlin and retreated to his own bed.

The king returned his attention once more to his servant, “What have you done Merlin?” he whispered, “Why didn’t you say something?” He moved further into Merlin’s chambers, small and messy, and seated himself onto the uncomfortable chair beside the bed. Merlin’s hand was cold as he took it into his own.

....

“So there’s nothing Gaius can do?” Arthur heard Leon whisper to Gawain a few days later.

“Nothing.” Gawain said sadly, “His head injury was more severe than anybody knew.”

“He never even mentioned a head injury”

“He wouldn’t would he?” Gawain replied, “He hated showing weakness in front of Arthur.”

“You speak as if he is already dead.” Leon sighed.

“I am prepared Leon. I have already mourned.”

Arthur swallowed, he could skip training for today.

....

“Wake up Merlin.” Arthur whispered, late that night or perhaps early the next morning, “They grieve for you before you have passed. Prove them wrong Merlin. Wake up.”

The king lay his forehead gently against Merlin’s cold forearm and whisper, “I cant do this without you.”

....

“You cannot just let him die Gaius!” Arthur cried for what seemed like the hundredth time since Merlin’s accident, “You cannot!”

“There is nothing I can possibly do sire, he is dying.”

“Gaius-”

“I cannot wake him, Sire, I cannot get him food or water. He will waste away before he wakes. He is dying as we speak.”

....

“Arthur?” Gwen’s voice questioned quietly from the door of his chambers, he had returned just for a moment to change his clothes and found himself thinking deeply, bracing himself to return to the cold, silence of Merlin’s bedroom, to face the steely, heartbroken gaze of the physician who had loved the servant like a son.

“Yes Guinevere?” He asked listlessly.

“Your knights worry, your council questions, they wonder where their king has gone?”

“You know Gwen.”

“I do. Oh Arthur, of course I do. I miss him too, I truly do. But you’re the king and you have a kingdom to run, Merlin would have wanted you to carry on. Merlin would have-”

“Stop talking in past tense Guinevere!” Arthur shouted, “He is not dead.”

“I know how it feels Arthur. To lose the one you love. But life must go on.” the maid whispered, tears filling her hazel eyes.

“Merlin is not dead.”

....

“He has but a few days, sire. It is wise to begin your goodbyes.” Gauis spoke, voice choked, skin sallow and drawn.

“There is truly nothing?” Arthur whispered, pushing the overgrown hair from Merlin’s closed, sunken eyes, hand moving slowly over his cold forehead, “Nothing at all? Nothing in the entire world?”

“Nothing legal sire.” the physician said.

“There is a way? An illegal way?” Arthur questioned.

“Magic sire. I believe that magic may be the only way to save him and the longer we wait the less chance there is that it will work.”

“Magic? You once practiced did you not? You can save him?”

“I have not practiced for years Sire, not since the ban was laid down by your father, even if I had my power would be nowhere near great enough.” Arthur sighed, defeated, exhausted and dropped into his frequented seat by Merlin’s bedside, “Leave us Gaius.”

....

“Magic Merlin. Gaius says magic could save you.” Arthur whispered, eyes glued to the boys face, his pale skin and razor sharp cheekbones, skinnier than he had ever been, “But I trust no sorcerer. I lost my father the last time I did and Gaius has no such power.”

“I don’t even know what it would entail, how we would make this happen.” He sighed, “I swore to never even consider the use of magic again for as long as I live Merlin, not since my father, but this is you and you’ve always been the exception haven’t you?”

Resolved, Arthur called for Gaius.

....

“Where would we find a sorcerer with enough power to save Merlin?” Arthur asked, “one we can trust.”

Gaius hesitated, eyes flickering to Merlin, “Sire, before we start I must explain some things, things you may not understand at first but I hope you can forgive in order for us to complete this process successfully.”

“Go on.” Arthur frowned.

“I have not been completely honest with you sire, about Merlin’s condition, you see he is not simply sleeping, in essence he has already passed over to the other side.”

“He is dead?”

“Essentially yes. It is what happens when someone of immense power suffers such an injury.”

“Immense power?” Arthur questioned. “Merlin?”

“Is a sorcerer sire.”

....

“You’re a sorcerer?” Arthur asked plainly, emotionless. “All this time you’ve been more powerful than any other and you didn’t tell me? All those times I found myself miraculously saved it was you? Gaius told me everything. You’re fights, your father the dragon lord. My father.” Arthur breathed deeply, shakily, “Only you can save yourself Merlin, once Gaius does his thing and by the Gods I still don’t understand it, but once he does you need to do this for us. You need to save yourself. I need you to save yourself.”

....

Arthur had lost track of time, he didn’t know how long Gaius had been mumbling strange sounding words over Merlin’s prone body, or how long he himself had been standing in the corner of the room, awed and slightly terrified. 

He trusted Gaius implicitly and Merlin more so, but from experience he feared the magic, the outcome of events. He could barely breath, he needed this over with.

"Come on Merlin." he whispered.

“Merlin?” Gaius questioned, speaking English now, “Can you hear me?”

  
The muscles in Merlin’s jaw began to loosen, move slowly, mouth forming words but no sound coming forth, Arthur’s eyes widened, as he shot forward from his position, “Merlin!” he cried.

  
“Stay calm sire, we cannot overwhelm him.”

  
“Merlin?” Arthur said, “Are you there?”

  
Arthur thought he saw Merlin’s mouth form his name, once again no sound came forward.

  
“He hears us.” Gaius said to Arthur, then to Merlin, “Come back to us my boy. Use your magic to come home, you know what to do.”

  
Arthur’s name once again formed on the warlocks lips, “It’s okay Merlin. Arthur knows.”

  
“What’s happening?” Arthur asked in a whisper.

  
“He has always feared you learning of his magic sire.”

  
“Merlin?” Arthur said, louder now, “It’s okay. I understand, it’s okay. Just come home. Come home to me.”

  
“Only you can do this Merlin.” Gaius said, “I’ve opened the gate, now you must use your magic to come through.”

  
Arthur moved closer, took Merlin’s hand in his, “Come on Merlin.”

  
It seemed like hours, days, months, that Merlin’s mouth moved silently, forming strange words, head moving side to side.

  
“Is he in pain?” Arthur whispered to the old man.

 

Gaius shook his head, hushed him, “He’s coming through.”

  
Merlin stilled, an almost imperceptible shake that Arthur wouldn’t have felt had he not held his hand the only remaining movement.

  
“A-Arthur.” The word broke through the tense silence, “Arthur.”

  
Arthur choked back a laugh, possibly a sob, and surged forward, framing Merlin’s face with his hands, “You’re back!”

  
“Thought- thought no man was-” a cough, “worth your tears.”

  
Arthur grinned, “You’re the exception Merlin.”

....

  
“Up and at ‘em!” A cheery voice called, “Come on! Long day!”

  
Merlin groaned, blinking open an eye to see his king stood by the window. “Is that what I sound like every morning?”

  
“Yes.” Arthur laughed, flopping onto the bed where the servant still lay.

  
“I would have fired me a long time ago.” Merlin mumbled pulling the pillow over his head, “Why did you open the curtains?”

  
“Because it’s already mid morning and you’re still in bed.”

  
“I’m recovering.” Arthur thought he heard Merlin murmur.

  
“You’ve been recovering for almost a month and Gaius says you are more than ready for the real world.” Arthur grinned, sliding closer to Merlin, he planted a soft kiss on the small piece of exposed skin he could see poking out from the covers and grinned, “Besides it’s my bed.”

  
“That’s not what you were saying when you moved me in,” Merlin said, removing his head form under the pillow, “what’s mine is yours Merlin, you’re not a servant anymore, you’re my equal so you have free reign blah blah.”

  
“I did didn’t I.” Arthur admitted, crawling over his lovers body.

  
“Maybe I should die more often.” Merlin smiled, a healthy hand trailing over Arthur’s cheekbone.

  
“Hmmmm.” Arthur sighed, “Now get up.”"

“Or-” Merlin huffed squirming from he cage of Arthur’s arms, “We could lock the door and stay in here for the rest of the day?”

  
“I’m the king.” Arthur stated dryly, “I have duties.”

  
“Perhaps you could make an exception? Just this once?” Merlin toying with the hem of Arthur’s tunic.

  
Arthur laughed, “Only for you Merlin. Only for you.”

.... 

 

 

 


End file.
